After eleven years, Apple has finally said goodbye to the Lightning port on the iPhone, with its next phone, the iPhone 15, supporting USB-C. With the change in charging ports, mobile game controller company Backbone confirmed that its USB-C controller, initially made for Android phones like the Pixel 7, will now work on the newest iPhones, too.
Backbone tells IGN that the Backbone USB-C controllers will receive an update via the Backbone app. Once the latest update is installed, this will allow iPhone 15 models to work with the Backbone USB-C controller. While it did not specify, it is likely this particular controller will, by default, support iOS 17 as it is the operating system that will come preinstalled when the iPhone 15 officially launches.
Backbone released its first mobile game controller back in 2020, and until late last year, the device was exclusively available for iOS devices, sporting a Lightning connector on the right end of the device. The Android version is no different in design compared to the iOS version, with the exception of the charging connector.
The move is not surprising for a number of reasons, and if you already own a USB-C Backbone controller and are planning to upgrade to an iPhone 15, you won't have to worry about buying Lightning-based accessories. Of course, if you own any iPhone model that includes the Lightning port, such as the iPhone 13, and want to continue using the device to play stuff from Apple Arcade or Xbox Cloud Gaming, you will need to buy a new controller.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
